I was just thinking that techspot should do a big guide to building the ultimate P.C. diy stlye. Gamespy.com did one a week or so ago but i just think that techspot could do a much better acctual "ultimate" machine guide

More like the latest thing even if it some hardware is a day old?

For the hardware to a nearly ultimate Pentium 4 system, check out this thread: http://www.techspot.com/vb/showthrea...&threadid=6017 (not ultimate anymore, read more and you'll see what I mean)

Yeah, overall, it's a great idea. However, I don't think it should be on the ultimate parts, it would be updated like every single day. That's ALOT of work, trust me, I've been a webmaster of a site that pulled in 1,500 unique a day on average and the users were so demanding!

What should happen is that there should be a guide for chosing the parts and what you would need as well as assembly. Something that doesn't require alot of updating would be practical.

The "Ultimate PC" is kind of a subjective term.... I mean, what I consider to be Ultimate might be a waste of time for you (do you really want multiple network cards, hot swappable RAID, etc?) and vice versa.

However, I think I generally get what you are talking about, in IMHO the "ultimate PC" would contain some of the following technologies:-

2 or 4 CPUs
CPUs that are over 3 GHz
Over 2 GB of RAM
More than one large hard drive
Hard drives in a RAID 0, RAID 1 or RAID 0/1 config (dedicated PCI RAID controller???)
A large, tall case with several additional fans and an additional PSU for redundancy
A DVD Writer
A top notch graphics card.
A motherboard loaded up with goodies.

Usually, such articles talk about 2 machines, very similar in spec, the only real difference being that one is Intel based and the other is AMD based.

Are we really talking about one of these ...

1. The Ultimate 'gaming' PC, regardless of price.
2. The Ultimate 'value' Gaming PC.
3. The Ultimate 'general purpose' PC.
4. etc.

There are too many variables to please everyone with a single solution.

Well of course but the kind of gude i had in mind would keep the price somewhere between 7-10k and it would be more of a guide on how to buid this pc i.e assembiling the parts ect. not just disscussing the hardware used.

For 7-10k that's quite an expensive system.

It would be much easier to concentrate on just the 'building' part as users could easily choose the components that fit their budget, and the building part is the same regardless. As hardware is constantly changing, what is 'Ultimate' one month is merely 'top end' the next.

No no no, I think he means something like:

7-10k is a very expensive system indeed. Where do you look around? Alienware? XDream Machines?

No i just dream
Ah no seriously i do look around game system botiques such as those, Its just i would much rather build my own pc its just im not sure exactly how to do it.

Best way to learn is to get someone you know that has done this kind of thing before. Order your parts, then get them to help you assemble it. You'll be surprised just how easy it can be. The hardest part is becoming aware of all the options available, and how everything works. Assembly is a piece of cake once you've seen how its done.

yeah true but it would be nice to have a good technical guide as refrences

i'm into gaming............so, anything that rockets that.........you need the best video card to date, period........overclockable memory(a higher performing memory stick, than is acceptable to run)as you begin to overclock, you draw upon this feature..........best mobo's based on features..........cpu's are subjective, as we all have our preference(hammer 2 mos away).....looking as well to a well constructed foundation, based on your hard drives, and their performance.......and, it's amazing what kinds of gaming advantage is drawn from the proper peripherals......ie. selection of control devices, sound and sound devices, wireless et al

Not exactly, sometimes, it takes hands on training and figuring. I've never put together a computer or even seen anyone do it before in my life and I did it 2 months ago. It's pretty simple. All I knew is where you hook up the IDE cables, and knew how to install PCI cards and 5.25" bays. I knew alot about custom formatting and partritioning though. But nowadays, it's a matter of popping in Windows XP. The biggest challenge for me was going through the BIOS to get the correct multiplier/frequency settings so my processor could be at its advertised speed. This took me a few days until I seeked help at a forum, I'm not sure if it was here.

But indeed, once you've done it, it works out like magic the second time.

But like you said, it's the best way.

Also, I'm going to put together a few computers this weekend. They are both AMD based. I was thinking about doing an HTML set of instructions on how to make a PC backed up by some pictures of my doing stuff. If I take this idea seriously, I'll ask to get it posted .

Don't make the mistake of thinking that just because you have built a couple of PCs you are some kind of expert.

You are not.

Yes, some basic hardware assembly is pretty simple but the real skill comes in isolating and solving hardware related problems without posting here to ask other people for the answers.

Sorry, I am not having a go at you, but you are being somewhat presumptuous; building half a dozen or so PCs does not make you a hardware expert.

The assembling of components is simple enough (some care is required), but you need understanding to figure out if you've done it right, and to fix it if you haven't. Some components can be a nightmare (when they aren't working), while others are no trouble at all.

well Phantasm66 I beg to differ slightly as I have very often solved hardware related problems without posting here to ask other people for the answers but I still have a very limited ideas as to how to put a p.c. together from scratch

Actually, unless you are posting as several people, I wasn't actually talking about you. Or anyone, in fact. I was, however, making the point that 2 or so months of hardware assembly experience does not make anyone an expert.

well i dont think anyone can dispute that fact.
But phanta could you please pass my idea to the powers that be please?

They read everything that's here in the same way that you or I do - I am sure that Julio knows about any good ideas that come up here.

I never said I was an expert or even assumed I was an expert.

I was thinking about a basic guide or something, not pertaining to troubleshooting; troubleshooting should be up to the person who reads. I come here when I can't solve problems on my own or I'm too lazy or tired.

But then again, you and techspot are too "gosu" for me, I wont even strike a matter.